cdsinckler

In My Own Words

The one thing that gets me excited during a typical day at home or at work is seeing a child's eyes light up when they say "Now I get it!" I can't emphasize enough the benefits of reading aloud to children at a very young age. I began reading aloud to my oldest child, now 25 years old, at the age of two months. I didn't have the greatest singing voice and was not good at making up stories, so I bought baby board books that exposed her to language instead of full time baby talk. She developed a passion for reading a variety of texts and she is now a history teacher. My second child, now 17 and on the way to college, benefited from the same strategies I used with my daughter. Additionally, my son had the benefit of working with some of the best elementary/middle school teachers who supported my family in preparing him for high school. He graduated from one of the specialized high schools in NYC. My third and youngest child, now 14 and on the way to high school, did not have all the benefits of read aloud as his brother and sister. Our family was experiencing a transition with education and career changes. My husband took on a more demanding job while I was enrolled in a masters degree/teacher certification program. I believe that the gaps that my son has in learning are a result of reduced parent involvement in reading, discussion about school, and homework support. My son has been accepted to a very good high school, but in order to sufficiently prepare him for college, we, his parents, will have to play a more active role with reading and study skills support.

Parents I'd Like to Meet

I am a full time special education teacher in a high school. How do other teachers with families balance work and home?